Government Builds 100 Garuda Schools Until 2029, Targets Lack Of Education Access Areas

Illustration of Garuda School (diskominfo.sukoharjokab.go.id)

JAKARTA - Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Mendiktisaintek), Brian Yuliarto targets as many as 100 Garuda School buildings to operate in Indonesia by 2029.

In a press conference on the sidelines of the Garuda School Recognition activity at SMA Negeri Unggulan MH Thamrin, Jakarta, Wednesday, October 8. The Minister of Education and Technology explained that the entire Garuda School consisted of 80 transformation Garuda Schools, as well as 20 new Garuda Schools that are currently being built.

He said the construction of 20 Garuda Baru schools was deliberately targeting areas that lacked quality educational facilities.

"20 is the new Garuda School, because even the new schools are in locations where there are not many superior or non-existing high schools or high schools," said Minister Brian as quoted by ANTARA.

Brian explained that in the development of the Garuda School, his party did not add new facilities/infrastructure facilities, but in the form of preparation facilities for students to go to the world's top universities.

"We just need to add later on how to make the younger students who will graduate have readiness, know how to compete towards world top universities," he explained.

As for the new Garuda School, he continued, the Government has prepared a budget starting from Rp. 200 billion per new school.

In 2026, the Minister of Education and Technology targets as many as four new Garuda Schools and 30 transformation Garuda Schools to be able to operate.

It is known, Garuda School as one of the Best Results Programs of the President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto was officially introduced to the entire community simultaneously at 16 points today.

A total of 12 locations for the transformation of Garuda School were also involved, including SMAN 10 Fajar Harapan Banda Aceh, SMAS Unggul Del Toba, MAN IC Ogan Komering Ilir, SMANU MH Thamrin Jakarta, Cahaya Rancamaya Bogor High School, and SMA Pradita Dirgantara Boyolali.

Furthermore, Taruna Nusantara Magelang High School, Banua SMA South Kalimantan Banjarbaru, SMAN Siwalima Ambon, SMAN 10 Samarinda, MAN IC Gorontalo, and SMA Averos Sorong.

In addition, the introduction was carried out on four new Garuda School lands in East Belitung, South Central Timor, Konawe, and Bulungan.

The government through the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) has prepared four new Garuda schools which are targeted to be completed and start operating in the 2026/2027 school year.

This school with the addition of strengthening the pre-university curriculum is a boarding education institution equivalent to the SMA level which prioritizes a learning approach based on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).